‘Arrow’ Season 2, Episode 6 ‘Keep Your Enemies Closer’: TV Recap

Judging from the previews, this week’s edition of “Arrow” will focus on some unresolved issues for Oliver/Arrow’s sidekick Digg. Digg’s brother was killed years ago by a super-assassin known as Deadshot. Digg has been helped in his pursuit of Deadshot by an old friend from his army days who is now in the government named Lyla. She and Digg have seemed on the verge of a relationship in recent episodes. The other major thing going on is the impending mass murder trial of Oliver’s mother, Moira for her role in the destruction of The Glades. I may be wrong, but I suspect that the Black Canary/Sara Lance, the focus of the past few episodes, is going to disappear for a few episodes.

Let’s see what our favorite green hooded archer is up to this week…

We start with Roy leaving out a sign so Arrow knows to come see him. At Oliver’s office, Isabel Rochev (Summer Glau) is angry because Oliver skipped last night’s board meeting. Felicity interrupts the fight to tell Oliver about his “evening plans” (code for his secret identity as Arrow). We see Arrow and Roy watching some bad guys selling counterfeiting plates. Arrow tells Roy that he does not need Roy’s help.

Arrow moves in and starts taking out bad guys. Digg is using binoculars nearby and tells Oliver where all the hidden bad guys are. It makes it seem that Arrow has eyes in the back of his head. One of the henchmen is getting away but Roy tackles him. Is this the beginning of Roy becoming the Red Arrow? Officer Lance and some other police pull up and arrest the bad guy, but they also arrest Roy.

Out of nowhere, two men surround Digg and use a Taser to subdue him. One of the men says, “We have the prize, we’re coming home.“ All of this was a trap to get Digg.

Digg is taken to a secret location. A woman walks in the room and introduces herself as Amada Waller. Digg knows her as someone who works for the secretive government agency called ARGUS. Amanda Waller may be a new name to Arrow fans, but anyone who reads DC comics a lot know her well. She’s a government agent, but not a good one. In the comics, Waller is one of those shadowy government figures who always seems to be connected to super villains. I think it is a pretty good bet that she will not be helpful to Arrow.

Waller explains to Digg that Lyla has gone missing in Russia. Lyla was there looking for Deadshot. Waller tells Digg that she knows that Oliver is Arrow and that Digg is his right-hand man. She wants them to go to Russia to find Lyla.

At police HQ, Roy tells Lance that he is working with Arrow. Lance, who is also on “Arrow’s team” lets Roy go.

Time to check in at Arrow’s hideout. Felicity and Oliver are watching a TV newscast talking about a controversial particle accelerator. This is clearly a storyline that will come up in future episodes. But, in the meantime, Digg and Oliver decide they are going to Russia.

Time for a Flashback. Oliver is aboard the bad guy ship and has just seen Sara for the first time in a while. Dr. Ivo comes in. Ivo starts asking Oliver questions about the island. He wants to know if Oliver found a WWII Japanese submarine anywhere on the island. He explains that the Japanese were experimenting with advanced stem cell and genetic technologies during the war. The Japanese had invented a serum called Miracle that would create super-strong soldiers who would heal quicker. The sub carrying the serum was sunk in this area. He wants Oliver’s help to find it.

Back in the present, Digg, Oliver, and Felicity are about to board the Queen corporate jet to Moscow when Isabel shows up. She thinks they are going on a business meeting and she is coming along. When they get to Moscow, Digg and Oliver try to ditch Isabel, leaving Felicity with her. Isabel thinks Felicity and Oliver are having an affair.

In Starling City, Moira’s lawyer comes to visit Thea and says it looks bad that Thea is dating Roy, who has a long criminal record. Moira’s defense is based on her being a good mother and the lawyer says Thea needs to ditch Roy or the defense won’t work.

Oliver and Digg go to a bar where they meet an old friend of Oliver’s named Anatoly. Anatoly has information about Lyla’s whereabouts. She is being held in a violent prison. He says it is impossible to break in. The only way in is to pretend to be a prisoner. Oliver volunteers to do it, but Digg knows it has to be him. Oliver is too important to risk like this.

The plan is for Digg to go into the prison for being a drug dealer and then break out and meet Oliver and Felicity at a rendezvous point. Felicity wants to know why Digg is risking himself like this and he explains that he and Lyla were once married.

Digg is taken to the prison, where the guards take his coat away. Felicity has done something to the coat, but we don’t know what it is yet.

Oliver, Anatoly, and Felicity go to buy an armored car. The man selling it to them seems to want to double-cross them. But, Oliver whispers something in the man’s ear and everything is fine. Hmmmm.

Another flashback. Oliver is back in the cage aboard the boat. A Russian man is in the cage next to him. Sara comes and gives Oliver a coat to keep him warm. She warns him not to tell anyone that they know each other. Oliver tells Sara that he needs to warn his friends on the island. We see Shado tending to the terrible burn wounds suffered by Slade a few days ago. His body temperature is low and she cuddles with him to warm him up. If he did not look horribly burned, it would almost seem romantic.

Back in the present, Thea takes the lawyer’s advice and breaks up with Roy.

In the prison, Digg is attacked by some prisoners who do not like black people. Digg beats one of them up and prison guards take him to a “cooler,” a refrigerated room. They shackle him up by his arms. There is another prisoner also chained up in the cooler… Deadshot!

Oliver and Isabel are having drinks together. She admits she does not think he is having an affair with Felicity. She wants to know why he tries so hard to seem lazy and dumb when he is really intelligent. They seem to be sharing a few tender moments and end up going up to Oliver’s room, practically ripping each other’s clothes off. Afterwards, Felicity sees Isabel leaving Oliver’s room. She’s upset about it.

In the prison, Deadshot and Digg get free. Digg wants to kill him but Deadshot says he can help Digg find Lyla… if Digg agrees to help Deadshot escape. They begin taking out guards and making their way to Lyla.

Another flashback. Sara sets Oliver free from his cell. As Oliver leaves, he promises the Russian next to him that he will come back and save the man. Sara takes Oliver to a communications room where he uses a radio to contact Shado and Slade. Just then, Dr. Ivo and his henchmen come in. Sara was not helping Oliver, she was helping Ivo to figure out where Shado and Slade were hiding.

Back at the prison, Deadshot and Digg find Lyla. Perfect timing because the coat was a hidden bomb that blows a big hole in the prison through which Digg, Lyla, Deadshot can escape. There is a shootout with some guards but Oliver and his armored vehicle rescue them.

Once everyone is safe, Digg orders Deadshot to get out of the car. Digg raises his gun, but cannot pull the trigger because it would not be honorable. Deadshot tells Digg that the man person ordered him to kill Digg’s brother goes by the alias, H.I.V.E. Digg lets Deadshot go. In the DC comics, H.I.V.E. is a criminal organization. It stands for Hierarchy of International Vengeance and Extermination. Catchy name, eh?

Thea goes to visit her mother in prison. Roy is there and Moira tells them both that they should stay together. Moira says that her daughter’s social life is not what will determine her guilt or innocence at trial.

Digg and Lyla are snuggling in bed. Looks like they are getting back together. As Lyla leaves the room, Digg does an internet search for H.I.V.E. He won’t rest until he knows why his brother was killed.

Back at Queen headquarters, Felicity is upset that Oliver was with Isabel. He explains that his dangerous life makes it impossible for him to be with someone he could really care about, implying that he and Felicity could have a future if it was not for Arrow. She still seems upset.

One last flashback. The henchmen on the ship are getting no more information out of Oliver so they want to put a bullet through his head. Sara stops them. Dr. Ivo agrees because he thinks Oliver can lead them to the Japanese sub. “You’re going back to the Island,” says Ivo.

And the episode is over…

I thought this was a good episode. We got some meaningful developments in the flashback/island story and Digg’s long-stagnant story moved along a bit. It was nice to see Oliver begin to acknowledge that Felicity has feelings for him… and he might have some for her.

So, what did you think? Post your comments and we’ll have a conversation. Check back here next week and see what happens to Arrow next!

If you want to read more of Jason Evans’ commentary on the Movie and TV industry, follow him on Twitter @TVFilmTalk and be sure to check our Speakeasy every Monday and Wednesday for his recaps of The Blacklist and Arrow.

About Speakeasy

Speakeasy is a blog covering media, entertainment, celebrity and the arts. The publication is produced by Barbara Chai and Jonathan Welsh with contributions from the Wall Street Journal staff and others. Write to us at speakeasy@wsj.com or follow us on Twitter at @WSJSpeakeasy or individually @barbarachai.